If you were to think about birding in Hawaii, what would be the first thought that ran through your mind? For me it was, “I wonder what kind of crazy tropical birds I am going to find”. I don’t know why, but when thinking about birds in Hawaii that I immediately think of birds that you would expect to find in the rainforest’s of the Amazon, the flashy colors and the long ornate tail feathers. I think you will be surprised…

Hawaii is the southern most state in the USA and consists of a series of islands, reefs and shoals located in the central Pacific Ocean. The eight main islands of Hawaii cover an area of 6,425 square miles of land that is rich in diverse plant, animal and birdlife. Add to this the blue-green ocean, white sandy beaches, temperate climate and hospitable people, and it is easy to see why many birding enthusiasts agree that bird watching in exotic Hawaii is a very rewarding experience.

Bird-watchers in the Hawaiian island of Kauai should visit the Alakaâ€™i Swamp, or nearby Kokeâ€™e State Park. This high-elevation rain forest is one of the wettest places on earth- bring a rain coat! â€“ but it is also a good place to look for Hawaiiâ€™s incredible honeycreepers.

No bird-enthusiast likes it when their cat kills a wild bird. But they may be unaware just how harmful cats can be on bird populations. Many bird species are reduced in number, or have even become endangered, because of outdoor cats. In fact, one study calculated that in the U.S. state of Wisconsin alone, rural cats may be killing up to 219 million songbirds each year. Another study in England followed 964 free-roaming cats for five months. The cats killed 14,000 animals, 3300 of which were wild birds.

Travel far from land, and you may be lucky enough to see an Albatross. These huge seabirds have the longest wings in the bird species world – the Wandering Albatross’ skinny wings reach over 11 feet from tip to tip.